The invention relates to an apparatus for the coating of substrates using an arc discharge process and a cathode sputtering process, the apparatus comprising an evacuatable vessel in which are arranged at least one target, an associated anode and also a substrate carrier, wherein associated current and voltage supplies are provided and wherein a magnet arrangement is associated with each target.
In the non prior published German patent application P 39 41 918.5 there is described a method of coating substrates in which the layer to be applied is produced by condensing particles of a plasma generated by means of a gas discharge which impinge on the relevant substrate. Characteristic for this process is the fact that both an arc discharge vaporisation process and also a cathode sputtering process are effected, with the arc discharge vaporisation being carried out prior to the cathode sputtering process.
During the arc discharge vaporisation process the substrate is first bombarded with ions of such an optimized high energy and ion current density that the substrate surface is cleaned by ion etching and partly removed. Furthermore, during this arc discharge vaporisation process, an anchoring of the layer which is to be built-up is preferably brought about in the substrate material, and coating by means of the cathode or magnetron sputtering process then takes place directly after the formation of the anchoring.